The Not-so-Perfect Gift
by Miss Conception
Summary: With Quatre's birthday coming up, how will Trowa ever find the perfect gift?? Warning: YAOI, sap, angst


The Not-So-Perfect Gift  
Author: Miss Conception  
Archive: coming soon, but if you want it, ask!  
Genre: Humor  
Pairings: 3+4, 4+OC, implied 2+1  
Rating: R  
Warnings: yaoi, sap, humor, AU (after war), mild OOC, adult language and situations  
  
**Disclaimer: Not mine, no own-ie, no sue-ie, no money!!**  
  
*blah* indicates thoughts  
  
^^Authors Note: This fic takes place just after the war, and everyone is living in Quatre's place for the time being. The boys aren't too much older (you'll see). I hope this will help!  
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Trowa was truly stumped. Quatre's birthday was coming up in three weeks, and he had no idea what to get the boy who had come to mean so much to him. It wasn't like they were dating or anything (not for lack of wanting to on his part!), but he wanted to try to get the love of his life something unforgettable. What do you get the person who has more money than God and owns a few colonies? *Nothing I can afford, I'm sure,* Trowa thought. He had spent two days thinking about it, and still he had no answer. It was time to call on his friends for help.  
  
He went through the halls of Quatre's house, looking for anyone who could help him. He knew there was no chance of Quatre being around, as he was out with his latest boyfriend for the afternoon. He thought that maybe Duo or Heero would be there, and he was almost sure that Wufei was still not back from work.  
  
He practically ran into Duo as he turned the first corner. "Duo," he said in his usual soft voice, "could I ask you a quick question?"  
  
Duo smiled. "Sure sure! The Almighty Duo has ALL the answers! Ask away!"  
  
Trowa shook his head and began. "I need some advice. I have no idea what to get Quatre for his birthday. I don't have a lot of money, and I want to get him something he'll like. Any suggestions?"  
  
Duo laughed. "Trowa! I should have known that you had the hots for little Q-man!"  
  
Trowa blushed a deep red. "How do you know?"  
  
Duo tried to imitate him in his best mocking voice. "I just want to get him something he'll love. Come on, Tro-man, I see right through that. Besides, it doesn't help that you ogle him every time you see him. You're like an open book."  
  
A fearsome thought crossed Trowa's mind. "You don't think he knows, do you?"  
  
"Q-man? I doubt it. He always seems preoccupied with something. Almost as if he has someone or something on his mind. He seems a little out of it, you know?"  
  
"Well, it could just be that new boyfriend of his."  
  
"Maybe, but I doubt it. You know how he lasts with his boyfriends...not long at all. I'm surprised this one lasted 2 weeks so far!"  
  
"Now, Duo, that's not a nice thing to say."  
  
"It's true! I just don't think Quatre has his heart in it. Maybe he's in love with someone else, or he thinks all these people are just after his money, or both..."  
  
Duo's voice droned on, but Trowa had stopped listening. *Maybe he IS in love with someone, and he won't say who. Well, he has been spending a lot of time with Wufei lately...*  
  
"TROWA! Are you listening to me?"  
  
"Sorry, Duo. I just spaced out."  
  
"Well, you asked for a gift suggestion, and I just thought of one that might also let him subtly know how you feel."  
  
He had Trowa's interest. "What is it?"  
  
"Sex toys."  
  
Trowa's face turned red and he laughed. "Yeah, THAT'S subtle! Duo, I forget that you are the KING of the obvious, so maybe I had better get a better idea. Maybe Heero will have one..."  
  
"Mr. Made-of-stone-and-slightly-homicidal? I doubt it."  
  
"That's a terrible thing to say, Duo."  
  
"Well, he is! What a waste of a cute ass and great eyes! I'd go for a piece of that ass if I thought I had a chance."  
  
Trowa rolled his eyes. "..."  
  
"So, go on and ask him! See what he has to say! Or ask Wu-man...when he gets home of course, which reminds me..."  
  
"Bye," Trowa said as he bolted from the room, not wanting to know what Duo had been about to say.  
  
He headed out toward the huge workroom that he knew Heero would probably be in. He wasn't quite sure what his friend was building, but he knew that the boy spent nearly every waking minute out there. *Probably to avoid Duo,* he thought, and almost smiled at that. He knocked softly on the door and went in.  
  
"Trowa," Heero said, not even bothering to turn around to see who it was. Trowa was pretty sure he knew how Heero found out, though. Duo never bothered to knock, and Wufei and Quatre were both gone for the afternoon.  
  
"Can I ask you a question?" Trowa asked.  
  
Heero merely nodded, turning finally to face him.  
  
"What do you think I should get Quatre for his birthday?"  
  
Heero didn't say anything for a moment. He looked lost in thought, or maybe it was confused. He wasn't all that sure how to read the boy across from him. When he finally spoke, it was merely a small question. "A gift?"  
  
Trowa nodded, and Heero was quiet again for a while. Neither talked, but sat in silence for a number of minutes. Most of the time, neither was much of a talker, except when around Quatre, who was always trying to include them in conversations, or Duo, who wouldn't shut-up or go away until one of them talked. "How about a computer? He might like that."  
  
"I can't afford that, Heero."  
  
"I could get you the money."  
  
"Thanks, but I couldn't take your money."  
  
Heero got a wicked glint in his eyes. "I never said it would be MY money."  
  
*I should have known,* Trowa thought, sighing silently. "No thanks, Heero. I'm sure I'll find something."  
  
******  
  
A week had passed, but Trowa still had not gotten an idea for Quatre's present. Luckily, Wufei had returned that day, and he was going to ask his advice. He walked to the far wing of the house where Wufei lived, hoping that the boy was not too busy. He almost missed Wufei practicing in the ballroom. Fascinated, he turned to watch the boy moving, swinging his arms and legs in what almost looked like a dance. He stopped abruptly, turning toward the doorway where Trowa stood.  
  
"What do you want?" Wufei asked bluntly.  
  
"I didn't mean to disturb you," Trowa said sheepishly. "I just wanted to ask you a question."  
  
"Ask away."  
  
"Well, Quatre's birthday is coming up, and I wanted to get him the perfect gift. Any suggestions?"  
  
Wufei was silent for a moment, relaxing his muscles and sitting down on the floor. He took a deep breath before beginning. "Barton, you can't rely on the people around you to think of something to give him, otherwise it will lose its personal touch. You want to get him the perfect gift, right? Then that perfect gift will have to be something that you and you alone thought of getting him. Maybe something highly personal or original...something he's never had before. It doesn't have to be expensive or physically beautiful, but something heartfelt. At least that's my suggestion. Think of things he loves, and go from there. Most of all, have the confidence in yourself to know that whatever you get him will be special. That's all I have to say."  
  
*Wow...* Trowa thought, as he watched Wufei return to practicing his forms. *I never knew he had such...wisdom.*  
  
By the next morning, Trowa knew exactly what he wanted to get the golden-haired boy. He was going to make damn sure that it was the best present the boy had ever received in his life. Now all he needed was some paper and a piano...  
  
******  
  
"Welcome to the party, Quatre-sama," Rashid said as he escorted the boy into the decorated ballroom. "Happy birthday!"  
  
"Thanks, Rashid," he said with a smile. "Where are the others?"  
  
"They're all here somewhere, waiting for you. Look, I think there's Duo right there."  
  
"Arigato, Rashid," he said as he walked off to find the others.  
  
As he was walking around the room, he thought of how terrible his previous week had gone. First, the company VP got into an auto accident and was unable to come in that week, leaving him to put in over 90 hours that week. Then, he found out his boyfriend had been cheating on him and dumped him on the spot. And finally, he hadn't gotten any sleep the night before, and was dreading this party all week, wondering how his first-ever real birthday party was going to go. He didn't even notice Duo at first as he was wondering across the room, lost in his own thoughts and fears.  
  
"Hey Quatre!" Duo called out as he saw the approaching golden-boy. "Happy birthday, man!!"  
  
"Thanks Duo," he said with a smile. He looked around for Duo's usual companion, but he was no where in sight. "Where's Heero?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, he's busy doing something or another with Trowa, I'm sure," he said with a wicked gleam in his eyes. He knew that Heero was helping Trowa get set with his present for Quatre.  
  
Quatre blushed deeply. He was always nervous when he saw that mischievous look on Duo's face, and he was sure they might be up to something. It almost seemed as if he was implying something sexual. He wasn't sure any more....and Trowa HAD been acting funny lately...  
  
"Excuse me..." a voice said, breaking him out of his reverie. Quatre saw that everyone was turning toward the center of the room, and he looked at the spectacle. Heero was at the center of the room with a microphone in hand, and all eyes in the room were on him. "Happy birthday, Quatre. I hope this is the best present that anyone could ever get for you."  
  
Quatre was confused. What exactly WAS his present? The lights dimmed, and he heard a piano melody ring out through the room. He strained his eyes to see who was at the piano, but he had no clue. Then a familiar voice began to sing.  
  
"Smile at me  
It's the most beautiful sight to behold  
Hold me close  
Even when it's not very cold."  
  
Wufei and Duo looked at one another and laughed. It was going to be a long two minutes of this song...  
  
  
" 'Cause you're the one who makes me laugh  
You're the one who makes me cry  
You're the one that cares for me  
You're the one that makes me sigh  
For you...  
  
One look from you  
And I can't stop this growing feeling  
One touch from you  
All my senses then start reeling  
  
'Cause you're the one who makes me laugh  
You're the one who makes me cry  
You're the one that cares for me  
You're the one that makes me sigh  
For you...  
  
I wish I could say  
Exactly how I care  
For you..."  
  
Quatre smiled, tears in his eyes. The lights came back on, but the "mysterious" gift could not have been from anyone else but Trowa. It was the nicest gift that anyone had ever gotten him, and he knew it was the time to tell his companion how he felt.  
  
He turned around to find Duo, who had moved over by Wufei. He grabbed him gently and asked him, "Where's Trowa? I need to find him!"  
  
"Calm down, Q-man. He's down in the gardens, waiting for you. Go now." He grinned mischievously again, shoving something in the blonde boy's hand before walking away. "Happy birthday, man."  
  
Quatre bolted away, not pausing to even look at what Duo had given him, but instead shoving it in his pocket. He ran as quickly as he could to reach the gazebo, hoping to find Trowa.  
  
He was still alone, and quite winded, by the time he got there. He sat down for a moment, blaming Duo for fooling him. Trowa wasn't here, and he wasn't going to find him. Sure, he'd see him tomorrow or the next day, but he needed him right now. "Trowa..." he said, resting his face in his hands.  
  
Then he felt arms around him, holding him close. He didn't even bother to look up for a moment, knowing that they had to belong to Trowa. He wrapped his arms around his companion and pulled him close. "Trowa..." he said as he looked up to the meet the eyes of the boy in front of him.  
  
"Did you like your gift?" Trowa asked him eagerly.  
  
"I loved it! I love you," he relied sweetly.  
  
"Oh Quatre," Trowa said, bending his head to touch their lips together.  
  
It was the sweetest, most perfect kiss that Quatre had ever received, and he knew he would cherish this moment forever. He knew this was what had been missing from his previous relationships. "I love you too, but I never knew how to tell you. Then the guys helped me..." Trowa continued.  
  
Quatre smiled. Duo had been in on this after all. "Even Wufei?" he asked curiously.  
  
"Well, he got the ball rolling, but it was mostly Duo..." Trowa shook his head, smiling softly.  
  
He made a mental note to remember the gift that Duo had given him before he left. He would have to look at it eventually and go thank his friend, but he didn't want to ruin this perfect moment. "So, you want to start a relationship, eh?" he asked, partially in jest, but completely in earnest.  
  
"Only if you want to, my dear, dear Quatre," he replied with a rare, full smile. "And only with you. I've waited so long for this, but I don't want to rush you if you aren't ready."  
  
"Then let's start now," Quatre said, moving his head to kiss Trowa again. This time, there was passion and desire in the kiss, and he wrapped his arms around the taller boy. When the broke apart, it was only to ask Trowa a question. "Let's go to bed, shall we? I'm suddenly feeling tired."  
  
"Me too," Trowa said, grabbing one of his hands and walking back toward the house. Quatre place the other in his pocket, and remembered the gift. He pulled it out, and looked at the label on the tube. Quatre laughed, and kept moving. He should have known that Duo would get him a useful gift.  
  
****  
  
"Man, that was the worst song that I have ever heard in my life," Duo later remarked to Heero as they sat at the table drinking coffee and eating some of the left-overs.  
  
"That may be true, but at least those two finally got together," Heero agreed in an easy tone. "I should think it was about time."  
  
"Yeah...so, when are we finally going to get together?" Duo asked in a joking voice.  
  
"When you learn to shut your mouth."  
  
Duo pouted for a moment, until a really evil grin spread over his features. "Why Heero! Didn't you know that it's SOOOO much better when you keep your mouth open?" He quickly leaned over and demonstrated.  
  
Heero never knew that Duo's mouth could be opened and still remain silent, but he learned quickly.  
  
****  
  
Later that night, Wufei had to put on the headphones and crank up the music to drown out the moans and creaks coming from both sides of the house. 


End file.
